~ Culinary Adventures In & Out of the Kitchen. Recipes, Reviews, Culinary Musings.

Category Archives: Healthy

I drink cold brew all year long. But when I started Whole30, I gave it up for almost a week, because I didn’t think I could drink coffee without half&half and I didn’t like the taste of it with almond or coconut milk. This recipe for cashewmilk was a game changer! Cold brew came back into my life, and later when the weather changed, I enjoyed cashew milk with hot coffee as well.

Cold Brew Coffee with CashewMilk

Ingredients:

1 cup finely ground coffee

1/2 cup raw cashews

Drop of lemon juice

Pinch of kosher salt

1 ½ -2 cups filtered water

Directions:

Add coffee grounds to a standard coffee press. Fill with filtered water to the top and stir. Cover the press (do not press) and leave out at room temperature for 12-24 hours.

Add cashews to a large glass jar, along with a drop of lemon. Cover with plenty of filtered water and soak for 2-4 hours.

Drain cashews and rinse. Add cashews and a pinch of salt to a high-speed blender. Pour in 1 ½ cups of filtered water and blend until completely smooth. Thin out with extra filtered water, as needed and store in the refrigerator.

Press the coffee and pour over ice. Add a splash of cashewmilk and enjoy!

Try this fantastic recipe for overnight oatmeal made with yogurt, chia seeds, and water. You can top it with anything you’d like, but I love a combination of walnuts, blueberries, and candied ginger.

My breakfast routine has never been the same since I’ve discovered overnight oatmeal. For someone like me, who doesn’t like the taste of traditional hot oatmeal, this has been life changing. I usually make 5 individual containers on Sunday, grab one each morning and add my mix ins. Eat up!

The other day, I picked up a package of shishito peppers at a local Asian supermarket. It’s somewhat amusing, because to me, padron peppers are associated with Spain. That’s where I had them for the first time, on my first trip to the country. In fact, they were part of the first meal my sister and I enjoyed in Madrid. The memory has stuck, and I have often ordered these relatively small and mild green peppers at Spanish tapas restaurants.

Back to the pack I bought. It has been sitting in my refrigerator for a bit too long. Every time I’d see the green peppers staring at me, I thought I should roast them or perhaps broil, but preheating the oven on these hot summer days is just unbearable. And so, today I cooked them in my trustworthy cast iron skillet. Boy, were they delicious! I could almost taste Spain as I ate one, by one, finishing up almost the entire skillet.

1. Preheat cast iron skillet to high. Add oil and wait for it to start shimmering.
2. Add peppers to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the skins begins to char and blister, about 5 minutes.
3. Season immediately with salt and eat (seeds and all!)

My smoke alarm went off several times as the peppers were cooking and continued to sound off after the peppers were off. You might want to open your windows and turn on the exhaust fan (fair warning!).

Salad lovers, rejoice! Romaine lettuce, it’s your time to shine. You are no longer the supporting role, the “bulk” or the “bed” for the salad. You are the main ingredient! No longer cold and chopped, you are heated and charred, held together, and presented in all of your beauty.

I’m talking about grilled lettuce. Have you had a chance to try it yet? I’ve had my first grilled Caesar Salad a few summers ago and was hooked. The thing is, I don’t have a grill at home, and spent many months without this delicious take on salad.

And then, almost like in a dream, I thought of trying preparing grilled romaine under a broiler! A miracle of miracles – it worked!

“Grilled” Romaine Lettuce Salad

Ingredients

1 romaine lettuce

1 tablespoon of olive oil

salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Slice romaine in half, lengthwise.

2. Drizzle with olive oil on the cut side and season with salt and ground black pepper to taste. You can use your favorite seasonings here and spices, but I chose to keep the salad simple and let the natural sweetness of romaine lettuce shine.

3. Place lettuce on a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes, or until the desired charred is reached. I broiled mine on both sides for extra char.

What’s next is up to you. I topped romaine with diced cucumbers, red bell pepper, crumbled feta and basil.

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And so begins my love affair with Burrata. The what? Burrata is Italian cheese made out of water buffalo or cow’s milk. Think of it as a sphere that holds a creamy, soft, decadent cheese inside that is encased in a fresh, stretched mozzarella. Apart from calling it burrata, I prefer to refer to it as Angel Pillows. I imagine angels resting their heads on burrata as they fall asleep.

The other day I went to DeLaurenti and Pike Place Market to pick up a few must-have items. In my bag, I collected burrata, broccolini, tomatoes, olive roll, watermelon, rainbow olives, and Castelvetrano olives.

The fist night, I roasted broccolini and carrots (simply drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and ground black pepper, broccolini got a healthy sprinkle of garlic). Give this a try in a 425 F for 15 minutes.

I drizzled the broccolini with pomegranate molasses and added a few slices of burrata. Once the plate was composed and photographed, I quickly moved burrata to a toasted olive bread and cheered my success with a glass of white wine.

Two days later, I could hardly wait until breakfast. The whole grain slice of bread was already getting warm and crisp in the toaster. The tomatoes were sliced and lightly salted. The olives scattered on the plate. Then it came time to delicately slice a ball of burrata cheese. Be gently, you don’t want the creamy filling to ooze out. Once out of a toaster, I quickly topped the bread with slices of burrata and a drizzle of olive oil. And then I inhaled and took a bite.

And just for fun, here’s a shot of what some of my plates really look like, when they are not photographed.

Your turn! Are you having a love affair right now? Do share – keep it PG13 please 🙂

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How is it that there is always a bag of herbs, slowly wilting in my fridge? I try my best to use them up, wash and dry them ahead of time, but still I fail. It seems that almost weekly I end up throwing out bunches of cilantro and parsley. I’m sorry my dears! I wish I would have taken better care of you.

In comes my friend Dana. When visiting her home, I peaked into her freezer to find a glass jar with something green inside. Turns out it was parsley! Dana claims her family has been using this freezer method to preserve herbs for ages. Good enough for them? Good enough for me!

The method is quite simple. You start by thoroughly washing and drying herbs. A salad spinner works like a charm, or you could dry them in multiple layers of kitchen towels. If you would normally not eat the stems of the herb you are preserving, go ahead and discard the stems (or better yet, save them in the freezer to flavor soups and stocks).

All clean and dry? It’s time to get chopping. I used my mini food processor to chop the herbs, but you can certainly use a knife. I’d suggest going for a rough chop vs a mince, you don’t want to release too much juice.

Once you are all chopped up, transfer the herbs to a freezer-safe container. You might want to even label and date the containers. Try freezing individual herbs or make a blend of a few.

They stay bright green and fragrant. So much better than premature death, don’t you think? 🙂

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Do you love whole grains? Are you a fan of bringing in daily lunch but making it only once a week? Are you tired of pb&j sandwiches? Then this Faro and Vegetable Saladjust might be what you will want to make and pack up for your daily lunch this week. Packed with nutrients and vitamins, it’s colorful, cheerful, crunchy, and delicious. The zesty lemon-mustard dressing is light and can be kept separate from the salad, to be added right before serving. Don’t have faro on hand? This will work equally well with brown rice and wheat berries.

1. Add faro and water to a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer faro until tender, about 15 minutes. Add in kale, cover, and let sit for a few minutes for kale to wilt.

2. Combine cooled faro and kale with the remaining vegetables.

3. Whisk together dressing and pour over faro and vegetables. Toss gently.

Pack this lunch daily and you’ll be happily fed. Want to mix it up? Add grilled chicken, tofu, or shrimp along with the salad. Love cheese? Add crumbled feta cheese to your daily lunch. As the salad sits in the fridge, the vegetables take on somewhat of a marinated quality and the faro soaks up the dressing nicely.

While I sadly can’t give the juice to everyone who has entered, I would love to share with you a few of the homemade juices videos I styled for Allrecipes.com. These are simple to prepare and will give you a wonderful boost of energy and vitamins.

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Hungry for a snack? Give these Curried Roasted Chickpeasa try for a healthy, protein and fiber rich snack that works equally well as a garnish, a salad “crouton” and a pizza topping.

I first tried roasted chickpeas when my sister, the talent behind Mango Tomatowas visiting and prepared a batch of these irresistible morsels. A few years later, I create my own version. Best part about it? You get to play with your favorite spices and seasonings to create the best version for you.

2. Mix together all ingredients and transfer to a baking sheet. Spread into a single layer.

3. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes until chickpeas are crisp.

You know what’s better than a single tray of these Curried Roasted Chickpeas? How about two or three? I’d recommend making multiple batches at the same time, perhaps playing with the spices for each batch. You might just find these to be more addicting than potato chips.

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Happy 2014! As the year rolls in, so are the resolutions for the happiness, healthy eating, more exercising, less stressing and more sleep. Have you made your resolutions yet? I personally tend to avoid making resolutions, but fully support getting more hours of sleep, eating a few more pieces of fruit and vegetables, and smiling more in the New Year.

The 18 bottles of juice arrived at my door packaged as a present. Each of the 16-oz bottle is dairy, soy and gluten-free, non-GMO, Vegan, and Kosher and Organic certified. I was off to a good start!

The box included full insturctions for the Juice Cleanse as well as complete description and ingredients for each of the juices, the daily schedule of juicing and helpful tips and suggestions.

One of the things that makes Suja Juices stand out is the fact that they undergo High Pressure Pascalization instead of heat. This process enables the juice to stay safe, yet raw, keeping the most essential vitamins from fruits and vegetables.

Truth be told, I was both excited and anxious to start on the cleanse. Three days without solid food? Could I really do it? Would the juice taste good? Would I be hungry? What about headaches?

I began by labeling the juice bottles in order of the consumption and by meal (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, dessert). Just looking at the amount of juice I was to consume daily, I felt as though hunger will not be an issue. And I was right. Honestly, I did not feel hungry. I did though miss the act of chewing food and experiencing different textures.

Every single one of the juices were delicious, in their own right. The Glow, Fiji and Green Supreme, packed with kale, spinach and celery, tasted healthy and gave me a boost of energy. Sweetened with apples, they had a pleasant, light taste.

My favorite two juices, by far, were the Purify and Fuel. Purify, with a combination of carrot, apple, celery, beet and lemon was a gorgeous crimson red color and slighter thicker than the other juices, giving it a pleasant mouthfeel.

The Fuel juice, my favorite color – orange, packed with carrots, oranges, apple, pineapple, lemon and turmeric was bright as sunshine. I would be happy to drink a bottle of it on daily basis!

Results? I battled with mild cases of headache throughout the 3 days, though the symptoms did decrease at the end. Drinking more water and getting a few extra hours of sleep helped me to feel better. So did the idea of eating solid food in the near future. By the end of the cleanse, I honestly succumbed to the desire, and ended the cleanse one meal earlier.

What I learned is that I don’t require as much food to be satisfied and not-hungry as I thought I might. I also learned how different all juices taste and how truly delicious Suja juices are. Having juiced myself in the past, I have also come to appreciate the convenience of the Suja juices. Come already packaged and ready to consume, there was no need for grocery shopping, cleaning fruits and vegetables and most importantly cleaning the juices.

Are youready to juice?

For your chance to win the 3-day Suja Juice Cleanse giveaway please do the following, and leave a comment on this post when finished.

I will announce the winner on January 15th.

1. Leave a comment on this post why you would like to win the giveaway and what is your favorite juice.

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Have you had breakfast yet? For the last few days I’ve been eating Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt. This locally hand crafted yogurt is exclusive to Pike Place Market and just might give you an extra reason to visit Seattle. Super creamy and rich, it comes in many varities. I enjoyed the passion fruitthe most – extremely fragrant, with seeds from the passion fruit incorporated with the yogurt. They pop and burst inside your mouth with every bite you take.

Today, I layered the lemon curd Ellenos yogurt together with their plain variety on the botton of the glass. Then, sprinkled fresh raspberries and topped with granola. Could breakfast get any better?

Be sure to check out Ellenos the next time you are at Pike Place Market and let me know what your favorite flavor is. Enjoy!

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Smoothies have been ruling my world lately. The newest one is the Avocado Blueberry Smoothie with Almond Milk and Flaxseed. It’s nice to have a dairy-free version of the smoothie and this one can be made with soy or rice milk as well.

In the heat of the summer, do use fresh berries if you can. Though, frozen berries will make this breakfast especially frosty. Avocado adds incredible richness and makes this smoothie creamy and decadent. Ready to give it a whirl?

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There wasn’t much in my lunch bag for breakfast this morning. A single banana. One, lonely, banana. When I came to work, I remembered that I had a jar of crunchy peanut butter at my desk and soy milk in the refrigerator. Smoothie time! This Banana Peanut Butter Soy Smoothie was a healthy, satisfying and delicious combination of flavors and quick to make. I suggest you make it for breakfast tomorrow!

Who is a huge fan of Mediterranean food? Raise your hands higher! This salad is for you. Traditionally, tabbouleh is made with bulgur. This version is with tri-colored couscous. Won’t you give it a try? It’s a perfect salad for a summer picnic, a potluck get together. It goes equally well on its own or as a side to grilled lamb.

Directions1. Toast couscous in a nonstick pan over medium heat until it is heated through and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Photo courtesy of Priya Alahan Photography

2. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over couscous. Cover and allow to sit until the water is fully absorbed. Fluff couscous with a fork, transfer to a salad bowl and slightly cool.

3. Add vegetables, parsley and garlic to couscous.

4. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the couscous and the vegetables and stir gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Right before serving, sprinkle with butter-roasted pine nuts.

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Good morning! I must admit that after two weeks away in Italy, one of the things I have missed most about my daily routine is a glass of fresh juice in the morning. Back to work, I am once again juicing. This week, I have been drinking what I am calling Morning Sunshine Juice.

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My eating cleanse has been over for a week – and it couldn’t be over in a better time – just a day before my vacation to Santa Fe, New Mexico (more on the vacation in upcoming posts). I am back to drinking coffee and wine, eating animal proteins, and having an occasional bite of chocolate.

I am not leaving the cleanse empty handed, however. One of my favorite meals that came out of the cleanse was this Red Quinoa Salad with Avocado – it is vegan, gluten free, and packed with protein.

Directions1. Combine lemon juice and red onion at the bottom of the mixing bowl and allow to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

2. Stir in quinoa, avocado, tomato, cucumber, arugula and basil.

3. Season with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste.

You can eat the salad right away, or let it sit at room temperature and allow the flavors to meld together. Clearly, variations are endless. You can use spinach instead of arugula, add slices of sweet bell pepper, and your favorite herbs. I personally love the combination of peppery arugula with whole leaves of sweet basil.Back to the blog